Reader and Author Get Together
Love reading romance? Love meeting your favorite authors and finding new authors to read? Love to make new friends and see old ones?
The Reader and Author Get Together, affectionately known as RAGT, was held on June 5th-8th. This annual event unites romance writers and fans for a fun weekend of crafts, autographs, and friends. Nationally known romance writer Lori Foster, who lives in Greater Cincinnati, created this event and has hosted it for more than 20 years. For the past few years, it’s made its home at the Airport Holiday Inn, right here in Kenton County. RAGT 2025 has already been scheduled for June 18-21, 2025.
Hundreds of attendees come from across the country to renew friendships, see their favorite authors, and meet up and coming writers, and raise funds for good causes.
Plenty of big names attended this year’s event. Authors included: Lora Leigh, Jill Shalvis, Lori Wilde, Jenn McKinlay, RaeAnne Thayne, Nancy Naigle, and of course Lori Foster. Prior years’ event bestselling authors such as: Carolyn Brown, Sylvia Day, Karen Marie Moning, J. R. Ward, Brenda Novak, among many others. All in all, about 50 romance authors were on hand for this year’s RAGT.
Lori Foster featured her newest book, The Love Shack. Copies of all books were for sale and could be autographed.
Marni Penning, Lori Foster, and Jennifer Jill Araya, left to right. Penning is also the co-founder of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Both Penning and Araya are successful audiobook narrators. Penning has narrated several of Lori's bestselling audiobooks.
Jill Shalvis is a familiar name to RAGT attendees. She was on hand to promote and sign copies of her newest books, including The Bright Spot. She has a fresh take on series fiction: “I promise these books truly stand alone. They’re connected by setting, not characters,” her website states for this title and others in the same series. Read in any order you like, in other words.
Lori Foster, left, and Jill Shalvis at the 2024 Reader and Author Get Together.
Priscilla Oliveras stands out for her books centered on Latinx culture. Her West Side Love Story and Kiss Me, Catalina spotlight the Mariachi music culture in San Antonio. The first book follows a Romeo-and-Juliet theme with children of rival music families falling in love. The series continues with the youngest daughter romancing a famous Mariachi singer.
Jenn McKinlay’s Summer Reading will be welcomed by many readers, combining books & romance.
Lori Wilde is the author of several Texas-based series. The latest in the Moonglow Cove series is The Wedding at Moonglow Bay.
Jenn McKinlay, Lori Foster, and Lori Wilde, left to right, at this year's event.
Photos courtesy of Lori Foster.
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